All In

You can call it the 'Sheldon Adelson Primary' or the suck-up fest, if you like. Either way, the annual parade of Republican presidential hopefuls in front of Adelson took place during the spring meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) at the Adelson-owned Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and two forthcoming prospective candidates, former Texas Governor Rick Perry and Indiana Governor Mike Pence, spoke before more than 800 members of the RJC to earn the financial support of Adelson, while South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham auditioned for Adelson’s patronage behind closed doors. Predictably, the speakers used the opportunity to heap unbridled praise and support on Israel, criticize President Obama, and verbally attack the most likely individual to win the 2016 Democratic nomination, Hilary Clinton. For GOP presidential hopefuls, courting Sheldon Adelson and members of the RJC is a rite of passage. Last year, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and John Kasich of Ohio attended the RJC spring meeting. It is not a coincidence that over the last two years 6 GOP presidential candidates have traveled out to Sin City in hopes of getting one of the richest men in the world to bankroll their campaign.